STUART, FL–(Marketwired – March 24, 2015) – Ecosphere Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: ESPH), a technology development and intellectual property licensing company, today announced that another Ozonix® patent has been approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), bringing Ecosphere’s Ozonix® intellectual property portfolio to 10 approved U.S. patents with an additional 11+ patents pending.

On March 3, 2015, the USPTO issued a formal Notice of Allowance for Patent # 8,968,577, which is a process patent for treating fluids. This latest patented invention relates to fluid treatment and, more particularly, to an improved treatment apparatus for destroying aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in fluids used in oil and gas recovery and conditioning of said fluid for reuse.

The treatment system provides a cost efficient and environmentally friendly process and apparatus for cleaning and recycling fluids as contaminated as frac water, used to stimulate gas production from shale formations, as well as other types of fluids having various levels of contaminants such as aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and suspended solids. The calcium carbonate scaling tendency is reduced to an acceptable level without the use of acids, ion exchange materials, or anti scaling chemicals which is of economical and environmental significance and benefit.

Dennis McGuire, Chairman and CEO of Ecosphere Technologies, stated, “The receipt of our latest Ozonix® patent continues to validate our leadership position in the development of mobile advanced oxidation technologies for use in treating and recycling various sources of contaminated water used during hydraulic fracturing operations.”

McGuire continued, “With 10 approved U.S. patents since 2008 and approximately 11 patents pending for our Ozonix® technology, Ecosphere and its global energy licensing partner, Fidelity National Environmental Solutions (FNES) have and will continue to lead the oil and natural gas hydraulic fracturing (or “Fracking”) industry with the most proven, patented, award winning water treatment and disinfection process. In addition to not only proving our ability to compete as the lowest cost water treatment technology provider in our space, we have demonstrated that in long-term case studies, Ozonix® increases well productivity and produces consistently greater gas production and monetary returns across all 12 months of post-fracturing operations verses wells that were treated with liquid chemicals.”

Dean Becker, CEO of ICAP Patent Brokerage, Ecosphere’s exclusive intellectual property brokerage firm, stated, “Ecosphere Technologies has developed the most extensive, proven and commercialized patent portfolio in the world for an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) to treat and recycle produced waters from oil & natural gas wells.”

Ecosphere’s patented Ozonix® technology, a revolutionary Ozone-Based Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP), has enabled oil and gas industry customers to treat, recycle and reuse over 5 billion gallons of water for more than 1,200 oil and natural gas wells in the United States and Canada, while eliminating millions of gallons of liquid chemicals and generating over $70 million in equipment sales, service and licensing revenue. The Company has also successfully manufactured and deployed approximately 50 Ozonix® machines to a wide variety of major hydraulic fracturing shale plays around the United States and Canada.

Ecosphere’s patented Ozonix® technology is protected by U.S. Patent No’s. 7,699,994; 7,699,988; 7,785,470; 7,943,087; 8,318,027; 8,721,898; 8,858,064; 8,936,392; 8,906,242; 8,968,577; with Numerous Patents Pending and can be licensed through ICAP Patent Brokerage, the world’s largest intellectual property brokerage firm, for specific field-of-use water treatment applications in the United States and around the world.

About Fidelity National Environmental Solutions (FNES)Fidelity National Environmental Solutions, LLC (FNES), a leading water treatment provider to the energy services sector, has an exclusive field-of-use license to Ecosphere’s patented Ozonix® technology for global energy applications including, but not limited to, onshore and offshore oil and natural gas exploration and production, power generation, refineries and coal. FNES currently provides energy exploration companies with mobile wastewater treatment equipment to eliminate harmful chemicals from hydraulic fracturing operations around the United States and Canada.

About Ecosphere Technologies Ecosphere Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: ESPH) is a technology development and intellectual property licensing company that develops environmental solutions for global water, energy and industrial markets. We help industry increase production, reduce costs, and protect the environment through a portfolio of unique, patented technologies: Technologies like Ozonix®, the Ecos PowerCube® and our recently announced Ecos GrowCube™, which are available for exclusive and nonexclusive licensing opportunities across a wide range of industries and applications throughout the world.